By Tony O’Reilly–
Former CEO of the Post Office, Paula Vennells, has admitted to shortcomings during her tenure, as she named a lawyers amongst those to blame for the scandal.
She named five executives who she said were to blame for the Horizon scandal, including a former in-house lawyer who has refused to appear at the public inquiry and a missing IT expert.
AD: Capeesh Restaurant
She named general legal counsels Susan Crichton, Chris Aujard, Lesley Sewell, and Jane MacLeod.
The Solicitors Regulatory Authority, which could bring misconduct charges, is also a central party to the inquiry, giving it access to papers.
A representative told The Eye Of Media that they could not comment on the live investigations until the conclusion of the matter.
AD: Oysterian Sea Food Restaurant And Bar
A statement by Paul Philip, SRA Chief Executive, said: ‘The impact of this miscarriage of justice on so many individuals is tragic. We have live investigations into the actions of lawyers in these cases.
‘Although the range of issues we are investigating is complex, the fundamentals are simple. The public expect solicitors to behave ethically. They must act independently and do the right thing in the interests of justice.
‘We will take action where we find they have failed to do so. This is vital to protect the public, maintain trust in the profession, and send a clear message that any solicitor behaving unethically should expect serious consequences.
‘We will act as swiftly as we can, but it is important that we get this right. We owe that to everyone impacted in this case and the wider public.’
During a third day of tearful evidence in front of the inquiry, Vennells denied she had given “craven and self-serving” testimony but readily provided the names of those she claimed had let her down.
Speaking publicly for the first time in almost ten years, Ms Vennells broke down as she was questioned over the scandal, saying her previous assertion that there had been no failed Horizon prosecutions was not correct.
Facing intense scrutiny, Vennells conceded that while she strived to enhance the Post Office’s reach and service, she failed to grasp the power dynamics at play and overlooked critical governance and data reporting mechanisms.
Vennells expressed regret over her oversight, acknowledging the imbalance of power between the institution and individual postmasters. “What I failed to do, and I have made this clear previously, is I did not recognize the imbalance of power between the institution and the individual, and I let these people down,” she stated.
She named five executives who she said were to blame for the Horizon scandal, including a former in-house lawyer who has refused to appear at the public inquiry and a missing IT expert.
The Solicitors Regulatory Authority, which could bring misconduct charges, is also a central party to the inquiry, giving it access to papers.
During a third day of tearful evidence in front of the inquiry, Vennells denied she had given “craven and self-serving” testimony but readily provided the names of those she claimed had let her down.
Vennells, who was the head of the Post Office from 2012 to 2019, has repeatedly claimed in evidence to the inquiry that she was denied information from her senior staff, and argued that she was “too trusting” of key executives.
Hundreds of Post Office branch operators were prosecuted, hounded for money and in some cases pushed to suicide between 1998 and 2015 after errors in the Horizon software system produced shortfalls in their branches. The Post Office continued to fight branch operators seeking justice until 2019.
“I loved the Post Office”, Vennells told the inquiry through tears, only to be accused by Sam Stein KC, representing victims, of talking “absolute rubbish”.
Asked by Stein “give us the names please” of those who had “let her down” by withholding information as the scandal developed, she listed the senior IT executives Mike Young, who the inquiry has not been able to find, and Lesley Sewell, and the general legal counsels Susan Crichton, Chris Aujard and Jane MacLeod.
Her candid admission comes amidst revelations of discrepancies in data reporting and governance within the Post Office, particularly regarding the Horizon IT system, which has been embroiled in controversy.
Vennells lamented the lack of comprehensive data reporting that could have shed light on the challenges faced by individual postmasters and the system as a whole.
However, her statements were met with skepticism from some quarters. Jonathan Stein, representing the group litigants, dismissed Vennells’ remarks as “absolute rubbish.”
He accused her and her colleague, Angela van den Bogerd, of aggressively defending the Post Office’s position in legal battles, attributing losses to the incompetence or dishonesty of postmasters.
Stein’s accusations highlight the contentious nature of the Horizon IT inquiry, which aims to unravel the complexities surrounding the Post Office’s handling of the Horizon system and its impact on postmasters.
Vennells’ admission of failures underscores the need for transparency and accountability within the organization to prevent similar injustices in the future.
Vennells’ acknowledgment of shortcomings marks a significant step towards accountability within the Post Office, but questions remain regarding the extent of responsibility and the path forward for affected postmasters.
The Horizon IT inquiry continues to shed light on the intricacies of the Post Office’s operations and governance, with Vennells’ testimony adding another layer to the ongoing investigation.
AD: Heritage And Restaurant Lounge Bar